Woman Sees Vet Standing In The Cold Outside Walmart, She Does NOT Like What The Store Has To Say About It

When Ohio resident Mary Murdock spotted Marine John Harkness braving a recent cold snap to collect donations for Toys for Tots, she stopped to ask why he was not in the comfort of the Medina Walmart right behind him. As it turns out, the former active duty serviceman has spent almost 15 winters collecting toys at the location — and has done so inside the store every year except this one.

WOIO reached out to Walmart, which offered a response chalking up the decision to “corporate policy” prohibiting “this type of solicitation” inside of its stores.

To a number of locals, including Murdock, the response was insufficient. Hundreds of Facebook users weighed in on a policy Murdock called “crap.”

One commenter insisted that the corporation “has to learn that this is different,” going on to wonder “what harm could this bring to allow him inside.” Along with several other upset patrons, the user urged sympathetic shoppers to boycott Walmart. A corporate spokesperson, however, explained that the store’s new manager is in the right, criticizing previous supervisors who ignored the policy in Harkness’ case.

Murdock succinctly dismissed the policy as “crap,” concluding that it takes “two seconds to do the right thing when it’s cold and rainy and holiday season.”

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Though Harkness has yet to receive an apology from Walmart, he said the show of support has been “encouraging” and “fantastic.”

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The company has issued a subsequent statement describing as “unacceptable” any disrespect shown toward veterans or anyone else and concluding that “we are looking into this matter further to get the facts.”

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